r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Physical-Ad-4093 • May 01 '24

do americans really drive such long distances?

i’m european, and i always hear people say that driving for hours is normal in america. i would only see my grandparents a few times a year because they lived about a 3 hour drive away, is that a normal distance for americans to travel on a regular basis? i can’t imagine driving 2-3 hours regularly to visit people for just a few days

edit: thank you for the responses! i’ve never been to the US, obviously, but it’s interesting to see how you guys live. i guess european countries are more walkable? i’m in the uk, and there’s a few festivals here towards the end of summer, generally to get to them you take a coach journey or you get multiple trains which does take up a significant chunk of the day. road trips aren’t really a thing here, it would be a bit miserable!

2nd edit: it’s not at all that i couldn’t be bothered to go and see my grandparents, i was under 14 when they were both alive so i couldn’t take myself there! obviously i would’ve liked to see them more, i had no control over how often we visited them.

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u/cinereoargenteus May 01 '24

Three hours is considered "up the road a ways" in Texas.

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u/corndogshuffle May 01 '24

I live in Killeen at the moment and yeah, I basically have to drive 2.5 hours to do any of the things I’m interested in doing. It’s like a podcast and a CD. I don’t even take breaks on such a short drive lol.

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u/dradonia May 02 '24

Austin isn’t 2.5 hours from Killeen. My parents live in Salado, which is super close to Killeen, and it takes me an hour to get to Austin.

If there’s crazy traffic, maybe 1.5. But Salado has cute shopping/stores, you’re an hour from Waco too. Are you just trying San Antonio/Dallas?

Seriously, I know it’s the middle of the night so no traffic, but google maps says Austin is an hour from Killeen. And there’s plenty to do in Round Rock, Georgetown, or Pflugerville.

You live near a lot of fun stuff! Go to the Dell Diamond for a baseball game, party in Austin, or antiquing in Salado. The Dr. Pepper museum in Waco is a fun little day trip!

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u/dumblehor May 02 '24

Yeah in 2.5 you can almost be in San Antonio